Evaporator coil package

ABSTRACT

AN EVAPORATOR COIL PACKAGE FOR USE IN AN AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM. THE WIDTH OF THE EVAPORATOR COIL PLENUM ENCLOSURE MAY BE VARIED FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH DUCT OR AIR HANDLING DEVICE USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE EVAPORATOR COIL PACKAGE.

Nov. 16, 1971 J. A. WILLIAMS 3,620,039

- EVAPORATOR COIL PACKAGE Filed Dec. 22, 1969 2 Sheets-Shoat 1 FIG. I INVENTOR.

JOHN A. WILLIAMS ATTORN EY Nov. 16, 1971 A, I A 3,620,039

EVAPORATOR COIL PACKAGE Filed Dec. 22, 1969 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2

54 46 Q1 J 36 3O /36 Q 4/ 1 FIG. 4 42 36 i 36 6 FIG. 5

INVENTOR.

JOHN A. WILLIAMS ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,620,039 EVAPORATOR COIL PACKAGE John A. Williams, Indianapolis, Ind., assignor to Carrier Corporation, Syracuse, N.Y. Filed Dec. 22, 1969, Ser. No. 886,811

Int. Cl. F25d 21/14 US. Cl. 62-285 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An evaporator coil package for use in an air conditioning system. The width of the evaporator coil plenum enclosure may be varied for engagement with duct or air handling device used in conjunction with the evaporator coil package.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In many air conditioning installations, particularly in the residential field, the refrigerant evaporator coil is mounted above or below a forced air furnace or air handler to circulate air from the conditioned space through the coil for cooling and dehumidifying the air before it is returned to the conditioned space. To facilitate installation of the evaporator coil, a coil package may be provided which includes the evaporator coil mounted in an insulated plenum enclosure. However, since an evaporator coil of a given capacity may be utilized on a variety of forced air furnaces or air handlers having varied widths, the coil package installation may be complicated by the need for adapters, baffies, or transition ducts. This increases the installation cost of the system and may adversely affect system performance due to restricted or uneven air flow through the coil. I

Since the cost of producing and stocking coil packages having a variety of widths in each coil capacity range would be exorbitant, it is desirable to provide a coil package having an adjustable Width plenum enclosure.

SUMMARY OF THE. INVENTION This invention relates to an evaporator coil package including the combination of an enclosure formed by front, rear, and side panels. The side panels are provided with front and rear tabs which are formed thereon perpendicular to the plane of the side panels for cooperation with the front and rear panels to form an enclosure having an open bottom and an open top for passage of air therethrough. The tabs on the side panels may be adjusted relative to the front and rear panels to vary the width of the enclosure. An evaporator coil having liquid and suction line connectors thereon is provided within the enclosure, the refrigerant line connectors projecting through the enclosure panels for connection to refrigerant liquid and suction lines.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a view partially in section of an evaporator coil package;

FIG. 2. is a perspective view of the plenum enclosure forming a part of the evaporator coil package illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the condensate collection pan utilized with the evaporator coil; and

FIG. 4 is a view of the sheet metal blank utilized to form the pan of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated an evaporator coil package including a plenum enclosure 2, evapoice rator coil 4, refrigerant distributor 6, and condensate collection pan 8.

The enclosure 2 is comprised of a front panel 10, a rear panel 12, and side panels 14. The side panels 14 are provided With front and rear tabs 16 and 18, respectively, which project perpendicular to the plane of panels 14 for mating engagement with front panel 10 and rear panel 12. The side panels 14 are adapted for movement relative to panels and 12 to vary the Width of plenum enclosure 2, the tabs \16 forming a portion of the front of the enclosure and the tabs 18 forming a portion of the rear of the enclosure. The front panel 10 is provided with openings 20 and 22 which are adapted to coperate with slots 21 and 23 in tabs 16 as hereinafter explained.

The evaporator coil 4, which is illustrated as a slab coil, is diagonally disposed within plenum enclosure 2. An angle bracket 5- is aflixed to side wall 14 as by welding for supporting the lower portion of the evaporator coil 4. The angle bracket projects inwardly a suitable distance so as to provide support for the lower edge of coil 4 when the side wall 14 is moved outwardly. A suitable spacer 7 is affixed to the other side wall 14 for supporting the top portion of coil 4 within plenum enclosure 2. Support 7 is affixed to Wall 14 by suitable means such as sheet metal screws (not shown). It is to be understood that the width of the horizontal portion of support 7 must be varied as the width of the enclosure is varied. For this purpose, a number of supports may be supplied with the coil package or a support which can be cut to size may be supplied.

It is to be understood that any suitable coil configuration, such as an A-coil, may be utilized in place of the slab coil 4. The coil 4 is provided With a liquid distributor 6 for distributing liquid refrigerant received at liquid connector 24 through capillary tubes 26 to the coil 4. One of the tabs 16 is provided with a suitable opening 27 for projection of liquid refrigerant connector 24 therethrough. The coil 4 is provided With a refrigerant suction line connector 28 which is adapted to project through the opening formed by slot 21 in tab 16 and opening 20 formed in panel 10.

The condensate pan 8, which is illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, is formed from a fiat sheet of metal 30. Sheet 30 is provided with end tabs 36 and side tabs 38. To produce the condensate pan configuration illustrated in FIG. 3, the sheet 30 is folded along center line 40. Tabs 36 are folded along lines 42 so that the tabs on each end of sheet 30 overlap. The tabs 38 are folded along lines 44 into engagement with the angled edge 46 of end tabs 36. The mating portions of the tabs are then brazed to provide a watertight pan. The resulting condensate pan is suitably aflixed as by screws 32 to the lower end of evaporator coil 4. A condensate pipe 34 is suitably afilxed, as by brazing, to condensate pan 8 for draining the liquid collected therein. Pipe 64 is adapted to project through the opening formed by slot 23 in tab 16 and opening 22 in front panel 10 for connection to a suitable drain line. It can be seen by reference to FIG. 2 that the front and rear panels are sufficiently wide so that slots 21 and 23 are covered by the front panel 10 when the enclosure is expanded to its maximum width.

The front and rear panels 10 and 12 are provided with a series of holes \11 for insertion of suitable fastening means such as pop rivets or self-tapping screws for securing the side panels 14 thereto after the Width of the enclosure has been properly adjusted.

It can be seen from the foregoing that a simple, easily adjusted coil package is provided which is adaptable for a wide variety of installations.

I claim:

1. An evaporator coil package comprising an enclosure, said enclosure having a front panel and a rear panel;

side panels having front and rear tabs formed thereon perpendicular to the plane of the side panels, said tabs being adapted for cooperation with said front and rear panels to form an enclosure therewith having an open bottom and an open top for passage of air therethrough, said side panels being adjustable relative to said front and rear panels to vary the width of the enclosure; and

an evaporator coil disposed within said enclosure, said coil having a refrigerant distributor connector and a refrigerant suction line connector associated therewith, said connectors projecting through said enclosure panels for connection to refrigerant liquid and suction lines.

2. An evaporator coil package according to claim 1 wherein said evaporator coil is a slab coil, a V-shaped condensate collection pan affixed to the bottom of said coil, said condensate pan having a drain pipe afiixed thereto, said drain pipe projecting through one of said enclosure panels for connection to a suitable drain line.

3. An evaporator coil package according to claim 2 wherein said condensate collection pan is formed from a flat panel having two tabs formed on each end thereof, said panel being deformed along the center line thereof to provide a V-shape, the tabs on each end being overlapped to provide end closures for said condensate pan, said condensate drain pipe being aflixed to the tabs at one end of said pan and projecting therethrough for communication with the interior portion of said pan.

4. An evaporator coil package according to claim 2 wherein said front panel is provided with a first opening and a second opening therein, said refrigerant suction line connector projecting from said first opening and said drain pipe projecting from said second opening, the front tabs on said side panels having slots formed therein for cooperation with the holes formed in said front panel to allow movement of the side panels relative to the front panel without interference with said suction line connection and said condensate drain pipe, one of said front tabs having an opening formed therein for projection therethrough of said refrigerant distributor connector.

5. An enclosure for use with an evaporator coil, said enclosure having a front panel and a rear panel,

side panels having front and rear tabs formed thereon perpendicular to the plane of the side of said side panels, said tabs being adapted for cooperation with said front and rear panels to form an enclosure therewith having an open bottom and an open top for passage of air therethrough, said side panels being adjustable relative to said front and rear panels to vary the width of the enclosure.

6. An enclosure according to claim 5 wherein said front panel is provided with a first opening and a second opening therein, said first opening being adapted for passage of a refrigerant line therethrough for connection to the suction side of the evaporator coil disposed within said enclosure, said second opening being adapted for passage of a condensate line therethrough for connection to a condensate pan associated with the evaporator coil in said enclosure, the front tabs on said side panels having slots formed therein for cooperation with the holes formed in said front panel to allow movement of the side panels relative to the front panel without interference with the refrigerant line and the condensate line, one of said front tabs having an opening formed therein for passage of the refrigerant liquid line therethrough for connection to the evaporator coil.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,744,393 5/1956 Brugler 62285 2,752,950 7/1956 Coulters 76 3,299,660 1/1967 Sullivan 62-285 3,336,715 8/1967 Savary 98-114 WILLIAM J. WYE, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

